The Elizabethan Theatre
Shakespeare in Love
Understanding a video
A. Have a close look at the poster.
1. Which of Shakespeare’s plays is going to be performed? ..................................................................
2. Does it end well ? (look closely at the original title)…………………………………………………………………………..
3. What’s the name of the company? ...............................................................................................................
4. What’s the name of the theatre? …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
5. What time is the play being performed?.......................................................................................................
6. What’ the problem ?………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….……………
7. How does Shakespeare react ?…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
B.
Outside the church :
1. What sounds can you hear ?............................................................................................................................
2. What has just happened ?.................................................................................................................................
3. Look at the couple’s clothes. What strikes you ? …………………………………………………………………..……………….
4. Is Viola happy ?.......................................................................................................................................................
5. What is the role of Viola’s nurse in this scene ?...........................................................................................
6.
What does Lady Wessex (Viola) do ? Imagine why …………………………………………..…………………………………….
C. At the theatre : Part I.
1. Who is supposed to play Juliet at first? What’s the matter with that person ?..................................
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
2. Where is Viola, How does she react ? Imagine why ……………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..…
3. Who plays the role of Juliet’s nurse at the beginning of the performance ? What effect does it
have on the audience ? …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
4. What’s wrong with Shakespeare ? How does he feel ?.........................................................
5. Who saves the performance ? How ?..........................................................................................
6. Why are the actors astonished and worried about the presence of Lady Viola on stage?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
D. ROMEO AND JULIET.
I.
Number the following scenes as they appear in the film :
Merciutio, Romeo’s best friend is
killed.
Juliet is with her mother and her
nurse. It is a comic scene.
When she wakes up, Juliet finds
Romeo dead and kills herself with a
knife.
Prologue : « T..T…T…Two households,
both alike in dignity, in fair
Verona..…. »
Romeo finds Juliet asleep and thinks
she is dead : he drinks poison and dies.
Romeo buys poison from the apothecary for 40
ducats.
Romeo leaves Juliet. She calls him « love,
husband, friend ». Both say « adieu ».
Juliet’s mother wants to know Juliet’s opinion
about marriage. (She is supposed to marry
Paris whom she doesn’t love!)
Romeo kills Tybalt and has to run away !
The monk gives Juliet a potion so that her
parents will believe she is dead (and she won’t
marry Paris).
1.What does Will ask Viola as soon as they are alone behind the scenes?......................................
2. How does the audience react to the performance? Do they like it ?......................................
II.
« Coups de théâtre » !
1. Why does Mr Tilney, Lord Chamberlain , want to arrest all the actors at the end?
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….……………………………………….
2. Who comes out from the audience at this point? Does she agree with Mr Tilney ?Does she
recognize Viola ?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….….
3.
What’s the male name Lady Viola has used so far?....................................................................................
4. How does the story (with lady Viola) have to finish according to the Queen ? can’t she help the 2
lovers ?
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
5. Listen carefully : Explain why the Queen tells Lord Wessex he must give money. ( Un pari lequel ?)
Who wins ? How much does he finally give?
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
6.The Queen wants Shakespeare to write a new play, but a ……………………… this time. What title does
she « suggest » ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
7. Evoquez en français l’histoire que Shakespeare et Viola imaginent à la fin.( Oral work)